GUWAHATI: Leading natural gas company, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) on Thursday announced award of contract for the purchase of 616-km of line pipes worth Rs 1,100 crore for the Barauni-Guwahati pipeline, putting on fast track project execution of the crucial 729-km feeder line linking Northeast with the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga pipeline network.
The award of the contract will ensure commencement of spur line laying activities of the Barauni-Guwahati pipeline from December 2018. The under construction pipeline will connect the upcoming ‘Indradhanush’ gas grid network to the national gas network.
In an official statement issued here, B C Tripathi, chairman and managing director, GAIL said the award of the tenders supports ‘Make in India’ efforts of steel pipe manufacturers and suppliers in the country and marks completion of mainline ordering for the entire 729-km section.
The ‘Indradhanush’ gas grid network, being developed by GAIL along with joint venture partners Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Oil India Limited, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, will provide uninterrupted supply of natural gas across all the Northeastern states.
The Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project endeavours to connect Eastern and Northeastern states of India with the existing gas pipeline grid to ensure access of clean energy solutions for household, transport, industrial and commercial applications in the energy deprived region.
Work across India’s single largest pipeline spanning 3,400 km under Jagadishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra project is in full swing and progressing as per schedule.
“Physical progress under phase-1 of the flagship project is 92 per cent complete and expected to be completed within next two months, whereas the balance phases including the additional section under Barauni-Guwahati spurline are lined up for sequential completion by December 2021,” Tripathi said.